Life is short - buy the damn bikeBlack Friday is here, which means the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season.  There's no doubt many of you have bike parts, clothing and other upgrades on your holiday wish list.  But really, which of those upgrades are going to give you the most performance for your dollar?  Which one of those upgrades will actually help increase YOUR performance?

In today's podcast I'll explore all of the above and more, including:

  • Reasons to upgrade parts
  • What are most noticeable upgrades you can make
  • Which upgrades make a difference to your performance
  • Considerations for upgrading wheels, tires and components
  • How maintenance “upgrades” can be the biggest bang for the buck available

I'd also like to take a moment to welcome aboard two new sponsors of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast: RoadID and Competitive Cyclist.  I've long been a user of RoadID and a proponent of carrying sufficient ID and contact information with you while riding or training.  My partnership with RoadID will allow me to further advocate for the peace of mind that carrying ID allows for.  Meanwhile, Competitive Cyclist is a leader in the high end online bike retail industry.  While I'm always an advocate of shopping locally at your LBS, sometimes shopping online is necessary in order to get exactly what you need or to stretch your dollar further (an important concept in these tough economic times.)  Check both links on my pages (off to the right hand side, underneath my contact/”follow Coach Rob” pane) periodically for great deals on all kinds of equipment and help support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast. (Proceeds from affiliate sales go to web hosting space and bandwidth.)

If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars.  Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.

And don't forget: Tour of the Battenkill race and fondo are on April 5th and 6th.  You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my online store, and be well on your way to the podium.  Remember to save 20% with the coupon code in this week's podcast through MONDAY 12/2 ONLY!